Published: Friday, March 22, 2013 at 12:00 p.m.

Last Modified: Friday, March 22, 2013 at 7:25 p.m.

The sentencing of flipping fraud co-conspirator Scott Schuhriemen has been postponed a second time as attorneys continue to argue over how much money he should be forced to repay.

Federal prosecutors believe $300,000 is the right amount.

That represents two loans made to flipping fraud mastermind Craig Adams in the names of Adams’ mother and aunt. Neither relative was aware that Adams was borrowing the money or that Schuhriemen notarized their forged signatures.

Because Schuhriemen did not receive the money himself, his attorney is arguing he should not be forced to repay it.

“This is not a situation where proceeds were funneled away from Mr. Schuhriemen for some nefarious purpose, but he still expected to later enjoy the benefits of those proceeds,” Tampa criminal defense attorney Matthew Luka wrote in a February court document.

“Furthermore, Mr. Schuhriemen is of limited economic means. Saddling Mr. Schuhriemen with a forfeiture amount equal to his restitution obligation is an unnecessarily harsh punishment under the circumstances and will not help the victim recover its money,” Luka wrote.

A former mortgage banker who helped Adams, Rich Bobka and other members of the decade-long conspiracy get more than 20 home equity loans from BB&T at the height of the real estate boom, Schuhriemen pleaded guilty to conspiring to make false statements to federally insured lenders in November.

He is one of 21 people indicted in the case. Only two — Schuhriemen and former mortgage banker Robyn Waugh — have not been sentenced yet.

Waugh is scheduled to face U.S. District Court Judge Mary Scriven on July 30, while Schuhriemen’s sentencing before Judge Steven Merryday has not yet been reset.

According to federal prosecutors, Schuhriemen’s guilty plea made it clear he participated in the crimes.

“Because the defendant has admitted to conspiring with other persons to knowingly make false statements to an FDIC-insured financial institution, and because the defendant admitted that the total amount of the loans obtained by the conspiracy is $300,000, the Court must enter a money judgment against the defendant for $300,000,” a March 8 motion filed by prosecutors said.

<p>The sentencing of flipping fraud co-conspirator Scott Schuhriemen has been postponed a second time as attorneys continue to argue over how much money he should be forced to repay.</p><p>Federal prosecutors believe $300,000 is the right amount.</p><p>That represents two loans made to flipping fraud mastermind Craig Adams in the names of Adams' mother and aunt. Neither relative was aware that Adams was borrowing the money or that Schuhriemen notarized their forged signatures.</p><p>Because Schuhriemen did not receive the money himself, his attorney is arguing he should not be forced to repay it.</p><p>“This is not a situation where proceeds were funneled away from Mr. Schuhriemen for some nefarious purpose, but he still expected to later enjoy the benefits of those proceeds,” Tampa criminal defense attorney Matthew Luka wrote in a February court document. </p><p>“Furthermore, Mr. Schuhriemen is of limited economic means. Saddling Mr. Schuhriemen with a forfeiture amount equal to his restitution obligation is an unnecessarily harsh punishment under the circumstances and will not help the victim recover its money,” Luka wrote.</p><p>A former mortgage banker who helped Adams, Rich Bobka and other members of the decade-long conspiracy get more than 20 home equity loans from BB&T at the height of the real estate boom, Schuhriemen pleaded guilty to conspiring to make false statements to federally insured lenders in November.</p><p>He is one of 21 people indicted in the case. Only two — Schuhriemen and former mortgage banker Robyn Waugh — have not been sentenced yet.</p><p>Waugh is scheduled to face U.S. District Court Judge Mary Scriven on July 30, while Schuhriemen's sentencing before Judge Steven Merryday has not yet been reset.</p><p>According to federal prosecutors, Schuhriemen's guilty plea made it clear he participated in the crimes.</p><p>“Because the defendant has admitted to conspiring with other persons to knowingly make false statements to an FDIC-insured financial institution, and because the defendant admitted that the total amount of the loans obtained by the conspiracy is $300,000, the Court must enter a money judgment against the defendant for $300,000,” a March 8 motion filed by prosecutors said.</p>